#151 – Enjoy Spanish Tapas at SER

SER — an acronym for Simple, Easy, Real — is a family-owned Spanish restaurant at 1110 N. Glebe Rd. at the corner of Glebe Road and 11th Street in the Ballston/Bluemont area, just a few blocks from the Ballston Metro station. Opened in February 2015 after founders Christiana Campos-Candon and her husband Javier Candon won the Ballston BID Restaurant Challenge, SER has since become one of the most acclaimed restaurants in the county — appearing on Eater D.C.’s list of essential regional restaurants and receiving repeated recognition from Washingtonian, Arlington Magazine, and Northern Virginia Magazine. The restaurant has also earned the prestigious Restaurants from Spain quality seal, awarded to fewer than 280 establishments in 41 countries for using authentic Spanish ingredients.

Despite the tapas reputation, SER’s team insists it is much broader than a tapas bar — it’s a showcase of regional Spanish cooking from every corner of the country. Standouts include the pan con tomate (tomato bread), gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic oil), croquetas, seafood and meat paellas, pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus), and a theatrical whole roasted suckling pig for dramatic tableside presentations. Javier Candon infuses his own spirits in-house, resulting in a superior gin and tonic. For each meal served, the restaurant donates $0.25 to the Arlington Food Assistance Center. Happy hour at the bar is daily 3–6 p.m. with $8 tapas, wines, and cocktails. Hours are Monday–Thursday 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m., Friday–Saturday 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m.–9 p.m. Visit serrestaurant.com or call (703) 746-9822.